


X-Rays Tell No Lies, But You Do

by akingnotaprincess



Category: Doctor Who, Sherlock (TV)
Genre: Gen, Implied/Referenced Child Abuse
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-12
Updated: 2012-12-12
Packaged: 2021-02-28 21:34:42
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 713
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23303986
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/akingnotaprincess/pseuds/akingnotaprincess
Summary: John is doing his residency at Royal Leadworth Hospital. On the night before Halloween a young girl comes into the ER with a broken arm.
Kudos: 7





	X-Rays Tell No Lies, But You Do

John Watson's vision was blurry as he awoke on the floor. He checked the back of his head for any sign of bleeding, that little girl's whack to his head had been ridiculously hard. No bleeding, good. Hopefully a concussion wouldn't be too horrible and stitches wouldn't be needed. John eased himself into a sitting position, body aching. There were unclear cries in the hospital, as if everyone were in some sort of fog.  
  
What the hell has exactly happened?  
  
"Watson! Watson!"  
  
He looked up to see his superior rushing into the room. Her hair was coming out of her neat bun, her hand clutched to her heart as if trying to ease the pain of it running so fast.  
  
"Watson! What the hell happened? Where's the Zucker girl? What did you do?"  
  
 _John smiled down at his latest patient in the ER. She was a local girl, around ten years old. Melody Zucker. A frequent guest to the hospital it seemed according to all his colleges but this was the first time John was meeting her. She still had her Halloween costume on, not that John was really sure of what she was supposed to be. The girl was wearing a blue dress with a painted white square, and the words 'Police Box'. But what interested John Watson more was that she had a broken arm. Although, this seemed casual to Melody. She seemed not to care, like it was very normal. In fact she was more interested in all of John's medical equipment and calling it outdated.  
  
"Let's look at your x-ray, shall we?"  
  
Melody nodded, but went quiet.  
  
John held up the x-ray and examined it closely.  
  
But what he saw was not just a broken arm._  
  
"I don't know, ma'am." John said sluggishly. "I showed her the results of the x-ray, then she grabbed something and hit me over the head. I don't remember anything after that."  
  
"Dear God, Watson!" His superior dashed forward to help him off the floor. "Are you alright? Zucker has always been a handful, but _this_? Assault? I'm calling the police." She began to walk away but quickly turned to him when she reached the door. "Oh and Watson, make sure you get yourself checked out."  
  
As John was on his way to see Dr. Kent he spotted a familiar curly-haired girl running down the hallway and into an area marked 'Employees Only'.  
  
"Hey! Hey!" John yelled. He followed her closely, up the stairwells and to all the way to the rooftop of Leadworth Hospital. When he reached the top, he saw the girl hovering near the edge of the ledge looking as if she was about to jump.  
  
"Melody! Melody stop!"  
  
The small girl faced him now, her face full of annoyance. "Stop what? Did you think I was going to jump or something?"  
  
John's eyes darted all over, taking in Melody's appearance. She was tightly holding the x-ray in her hand. Her arm--  
  
"Melody, your arm?"  
  
The girl took notice of her arm and shrugged. "Yeah? It healed. I told Amy I didn't need to go to the hospital. But she didn't listen."  
  
"What?" John asked in disbelief. "Melody, I _saw_ your x-ray--"  
  
"Shut up," her tone was sharp.  
  
"I saw the past signs of—" he didn't even want to say it. "Breaks and incisions—"  
  
"I said shut up."  
  
"There was a microchip in your arm, Melody! How is that possible? Who—"  
  
Melody launched herself across the roof, throwing herself on John, pounding her tiny fists on his chest, his face. "I said shut up!" she cried. "Shut up! Shut up! Shut up! _SHUT UP!_ "  
  
Melody collapsed against him, exhausted from sobbing. John took her in his arms and soothed her.  
  
After several minutes, he picked her up, covered her in his coat so no one would recognize Melody and carried her out the back entrance of the hospital.  
  
Two days later, the police called him down to the station and asked him to formally press charges on Melody Zucker for assaulting him. He smiled politely and declined. After he left the station and was waiting for the next bus, he felt a pair of arms wrap around his waist. Before he could look he heard a small voice say, "Thank you."


End file.
